The Odd Couple

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MOVIE REVIEW

Wolfs (2024)

By MARTIN TSAI

“Wolfs” is the new action-comedy starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney and directed by Jon Watts, who is responsible for the last three “Spider-Man” movies. It should get some butts in seats on these names alone; here we have two of Hollywood’s surviving movie stars who’ve earned their stripes before the industry’s almost complete pivot to IPs in an effort to draw box office. But these household names and their screen personae can be a blessing and sometimes a curse. Case in point: “Wolfs.”

This film and the recent Palme d’or winner “Anora” are essentially companion pieces cut from the same cloth. Both are set in the seedy Eastern Bloc ethnic enclaves in super dumpy parts of the New York City boroughs. Both are about ordinary people inexplicably getting embroiled in the underworld. They feature similar milieus, low-life characters, sceneries, styles, tones and even senses of humor. But the two are very distinct beasts, and will be received by moviegoers and critics vastly differently, because of the larger-than-life presences of Messrs. Clooney and Pitt.

The title is in reference to the fact that the two unnamed main characters ordinarily operate as lone wolves. The film opens with the sound of glass shattering. The body of a young man (Austin Abrams) in nothing but a pair of tighty-whities collapses to the ground inside a hotel luxury suite. Margaret (Amy Ryan), a district attorney, pulls her purse from underneath him, unwittingly covering herself with blood. She dials a number identified as “[ ]” on her iPhone (well, this is an Apple Original Movie) out of desperation to make everything disappear. The responder, played by Mr. Clooney, gives Margaret immediate instructions and assures her nothing will be traced back to her.

To their surprise, a second fixer, played by Mr. Pitt, shows up moments after the first one’s arrival, also to do damage control. Apparently, a hidden camera is installed in the room, and the hotel proprietor has independently contacted someone to help clean up the mess. Each thinks he’s the best man for the job. Thing is, both fixers are used to going it alone but are now forced to work together to ensure the cleanup is not compromised for their respective clients. Margaret’s fixer also wants to ensure that any surveillance footage of him will be wiped clean.

After he impressively and effortlessly wraps up the body in plastic and hangs it in a luggage cart, the other fixer uncovers a backpack with bricks of contraband inside. They mutually decide the best course of action is to return this trove to its rightful owner to stave off complications down the road.

Like “Anora,” the rest of the film navigates the depressingly desolate underbelly of the New York City boroughs replete with such curiosities as a back-alley doctor, a dilapidated Chinatown mall, a roach-and-rat-infested motel and a garish wedding hall. It’s a thrill ride with foot chases, car races and petty quarrels, pretty much like “Anora!” To be sure, Mr. Watts has exhibited more or less the same command and filmmaking proficiency as Sean Baker, who directed the Cannes winner. The foggy days and slippery nights in the two films are virtually indistinguishable and interchangeable. But you just know the Apple production costs a whole lot more than the Neon release.

Where the two films diverge is the fact that Mr. Baker has cast mostly unknowns. While that film’s cast is exceptional, they also imbue a sense of naturalism in the proceedings. With all due respect to Messrs. Pitt and Clooney, who are dependable and have impeccable comic timing, their respective star wattage and debonairness constantly remind you that you are very much watching a movie. Even the presence of Mr. Abrams, who is most reminiscent of the hapless inhabitants of “Anora,” isn’t enough to inject rawness and energy into the mix.

“Wolfs” is enjoyable. Those who purchase a ticket – or an Apple TV+ subscription – on account of the household names will not be disappointed. It’s got comedy, suspense, thrills, celebrities – what else can you ask for, really? But on comparison with “Anora,” “Wolfs” doesn’t hold up nearly as well. This probably goes to show that sometimes the joy of discovery can make great cinema. You can really lose some sense of adventure with actors you know and love as your faithful guides.